The MBA degree and corporate finance go together like bread and butter. Corporate finance generally refers to the activities that go on in a firm’s finance department, which can include everything from analyzing financial statements to managing capital funds; these areas are all addressed significantly in most MBA programs.
Beyond core classes, MBA students who are interested in corporate finance roles would probably want to take as many quantitative-oriented electives as they can, in topics like accounting and financial analysis, for example. Specialized courses in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and risk management can also be highly beneficial.
Indeed, many who aim to go into corporate finance jobs find that an MBA that’s heavy in quantitative and analytical curriculum can be a safe bet. Some students aiming for corporate finance jobs opt to do an MBA specialization in Finance, which can give them the quant skills they’re looking for to succeed. Even so, most MBA programs will include a fair amount of finance classes in their core curriculum.
The career paths available to MBA graduates in corporate finance are diverse, ranging from roles such as financial analyst, treasury manager, and controller, to executive positions like chief financial officer (CFO). Each of these roles requires a robust understanding of financial principles and the ability to apply analytical skills to real-world business problems.
See below for a list of the Top 10 MBA programs for Corporate Finance. You can also see FIND MBA's Top 10 MBA Programs for Finance or Financial Services.
Booth’s highly-analytical curriculum helps grads land jobs in a variety of corporate finance roles. Typically, at least one-third of Booth’s MBA grads go into functional roles in finance. The student-led “Booth Finance Club” is a great networking resource for Booth MBAs who are interested in the field. Students can choose to pursue the Booth MBA concentration in Finance, or get deeper into the quant with the Analytic Finance concentration.
View School ProfileHHL’s MBA in Finance is unique in Germany in that it closely addresses issues related to corporate finance. Alongside the quantitive skills needed for finance, students will also learn to be effective managers. The school also hosts a research center focusing on Corporate Transactions and Private Equity, which insures that up-to-date finance insights are integrated into the MBA curriculum.
View School ProfileThrough the school's MBA concentration in Finance, students have landed jobs in Fortune 500 financial firms like Bank of America and Morgan Stanley. In the past, the Financial Times has listed Simon as a top-ten school for finance in its Global MBA rankings. Typically, at least 25 percent of the school’s MBA classes go into finance; the school calls corporate finance the “most popular” career path for students.
View School ProfileThe school’s Nicholas Center for Corporate Finance and Investment Banking puts on a range of events and helps students land corporate finance jobs. The school offers a specialized MBA in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking, which gives students some practical experience through some corporate finance consulting projects. Three tracks are available as part of this unique MBA program, in Strategic Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, and New Venture Finance.
View School ProfileAt Cox, MBA students can choose to pursue a concentration in Finance, where they’ll take classes like “Finance Theory and Practice,” and “Valuation and Analysis,” all important for corporate finance. Within the concentration, students are also given the option of specializing in Corporate Finance. Typically, at least 35 percent of each MBA class tends to go into functional roles in finance.
View School ProfileThrough the school’s Managerial Finance Immersion program, MBAs can understand how corporate finance works in theory, and then through site visits and practicums they can see how it works in practice. Generally, between 30 and 40 percent of each of the school’s MBA classes go into functional roles in finance. Cornell offers an MBA concentration in Corporate Finance, where students will learn to analyze financial statements and be exposed to international finance, among other things.
View School ProfileRotman MBAs who are interested in corporate finance can pursue a Finance pathway as part of the program, where students explore issues related ranging from debt and equity to the legal and regulatory frameworks that impact corporate finance. According to the school’s most recent post-MBA career report, just about a quarter of graduates landed jobs with a finance function.
View School ProfileAs part of Northeastern’s MBA concentration in Corporate Finance, students can delve into topics like business turnarounds, finance strategy, and more. They can also opt to focus on a corporate finance role as part of the MBA program’s corporate residency, which means taking away real work experience. Typically, around 30 percent of Northeastern’s MBA classes tend to go into functional roles in finance or accounting.
View School ProfileThe school publishes a range of research on finance-related topics, through several different research centers. Generally, between one-quarter and one-third of each of the school’s MBA classes go into finance roles. Students can opt to do an MBA concentration in Finance.
View School ProfileThrough the MBA program’s Corporate Finance concentration, students can learn the ins and outs of financial statement analysis, derivatives, and more. Over 38 percent of UNC’s most recent MBA graduates went into finance roles, an increase over previous years.
View School ProfileRelated MBA News
The Financial Times Updates Master in Finance Rankings for 2021
Jun 29, 2021
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